I am thinking that if the Ravens do host at Wembley we will get a tonne of 'new' members swimming around. This is particularly so if we are given inside track on game tickets from board members here who don't want the trip. :celery

My suggestion is that from the day of the annoucement, until after the game is played we close for new full members. It makes sense to be open for our asscociate membership but not full ones for now.:ref:

Your thoughts?

12-23-2009, 07:24 AM

Irishraven

Re: Closing UKR membership?

I think that is a great idea Dave! - :respect

Now, lets just hope we actually are the chosen team!!

12-30-2009, 07:16 PM

Carshalton Raven

Re: Closing UKR membership?

Sounds a sensible idea to me.

I have mixed views over the Ravens being a home team, from a purely selfish point of view it would be brilliant and make my year, from the other point of view where all I really want is the Ravens to win and having been to the last two games at Wembley, the home team loses so much in terms of home field advantage.

However, if we do get selected as one of the teams, count me in for any airport welcomes etc etc etc. Happy to turn up, help out with any organising that needs to be done at all.

Guess that can all wait, Oakland on Sunday is all that is important now and hopefully then a good bash at the play offs.

12-31-2009, 03:54 AM

UKRaven

Re: Closing UKR membership?

We have a few days to finally decide. I know a few people are away for the holidays season. At least this gives a heads-up to anyone who has new members in wating to either let themselves be known, or wait until after the game.

Our membership profile may change considerable by then, and I am quite happy to accept REAL Ravens - who have not known we exist. What I don't want to have are 12 yr olds who want something for nothing, and go away the moment we lose a couple of games.

01-01-2010, 07:28 AM

UKRavenGordon

Re: Closing UKR membership?

Quote:

Originally Posted by UKRaven

We have a few days to finally decide. I know a few people are away for the holidays season. At least this gives a heads-up to anyone who has new members in wating to either let themselves be known, or wait until after the game.

Our membership profile may change considerable by then, and I am quite happy to accept REAL Ravens - who have not known we exist. What I don't want to have are 12 yr olds who want something for nothing, and go away the moment we lose a couple of games.

Agreed,

The one thing I'll say is the game will actually help us find more true Ravens fans, so we have to find the right balance of not letting in the idiots versus not alienating true fans.

01-01-2010, 11:22 AM

UKRavenStockers

Re: Closing UKR membership?

Personally I think if the UKRavens are to move forwards (if we want to) you've gotta look at the other 6 teams that have been over and the interactions they each had with fan clubs over here.

Giants - Road team of first game, no interaction but a bigger community of fans than the Ravens have.

Saints & Chargers - No fan clubs in the UK to the best of my knowledge, no interaction between teams & fans.

Buccaneers & Patriots - Both got successful UK fan clubs who booked up decent sized venues in London on the Saturday (UKPats with the help of Robert Kraft at the Sports Cafe), similar meet & greets to Dolphins.

Much as we exist we're in the bracket of the Saints & Chargers, if the Ravens come over we'd need to work our arses off to get anything and we'd need more than 10 people to be able to get anything in all likelihood.

If the Ravens come over and the NFL/Ravens want some sort of fan interaction (that's a whole load of big ifs there) being greeted by a small fan club that's bolting the door shut isn't going to interest them. If we want to keep as is, a small group of fans that are loosely organised with a monthly newsletter and links to friends/fans in the states then fine bolt the door shut, but we're not keeping the door shut to much, we're not a fan club in the sense that the Redskins, Pats, Dolphins, Bucs, Seahawks, Browns (heck even the Steelers are setting up a UK Chapter of the Steel City Mafia) and others are. If we want to step forwards, bolting the door shut is the wrong approach, if we want to maintain the status quo then by all means bolt the door shut. But we aren't exactly that out there that I can see us being flooded with requests to join tbh.

01-01-2010, 04:20 PM

TOEMAN

Re: Closing UKR membership?

I like Stockers point and that is kinda where I have been sitting as well. Keep that door open but don't feed them until the rest of us get fed. Next time they may be at the main table but seniors first.

Barry went home for 2 weeks and came back (Philadelphia Customs did not like that very much). He got a Flacco jersey for Christmas so I know his ass will be at Wembley this time if the Ravens post. He already registered on the NFL UK site for interest in 6 tickets. I don't see him joining the UKRavens but he will certainly participate. This could actually turn into a family trip since my brother and sister may want to make the journey to England to wear the purple. They haven't been back in quite a few years.

:celery

Happy New Years to the crazy ass UKRavens! See you soon NFL willing....

01-02-2010, 04:39 AM

UKRaven

Re: Closing UKR membership?

Some very good points on both sides of the debate guys. I posted the thread so we can have genuine debate. The points raised by both sides are vailid:

We do not want our group spoiled by 'bandwaggoners'. Despite our lack of overt 'fan club' like behaviour, we are socially very active - particularly when it comes to trips to US games. Only a couple of us have not been to a Ravens home game by now, hence we are a 'supporters' club - as we go to games.

However, as Stockers points out, we are small fry and unless we get outside help we are not going to do much when, and if, we 'host'.

I'd like to hear what everyone else has to say, particularly Chris - who is abroad at the moment.

01-02-2010, 05:01 PM

HoustonRaven

Re: Closing UKR membership?

I have to agree with Stockers.

ALL teams have their bandwagon folks who come and go on the whims of a teams winning or losing record. This cannot be helped. So to try and shut out these people seems backwards to me.

You have to figure that many people wanting to sign up and this will be their first impression of the Ravens and it's fans. If then that first impression is one of exclusion, you can expect small numbers to stay loyal.

Conversely, if the group is welcoming, inviting and contradictory to the rumors and negative factoids that tend to float around this team, your numbers grow AND you gain that ever illusive respect element that some teams do not enjoy.

Just my thoughts as an outsider ... Good luck and I hope to make the trip!